Bindewort

Bindewort, also Bindewörter, is a term in German linguistics for words that connect units within sentences, including clauses and phrases. In English, the closest equivalents are conjunctions and connective words. Bindewörter express logical relations and enable text to flow coherently by signaling relations such as addition, contrast, cause, time, or condition. The category covers different kinds of connectors that link words, phrases, or whole clauses.

Two main groups are usually distinguished: coordinating Bindewörter (Koordinierende Bindewörter) such as und, oder, aber, denn, sowie; and subordinating Bindewörter (Unterordnende Bindewörter) such as dass, weil, ob, wenn, während, obwohl, damit. Coordinating bindewörter connect independent clauses and generally preserve the normal word order in both clauses. Subordinating bindewörter introduce dependent clauses, which causes the finite verb to move to the end of the subordinate clause.

Usage and punctuation: Subordinate clauses introduced by Bindewörter are typically separated from the main clause by a comma; with coordinating bindewörter there is usually no comma between independent clauses unless style or clarity requires one. Bindewörter also function as discourse markers when used sentence-initially to guide the reader, for example Deshalb, daher, oder trotzdem.

Origin and terminology: The term Bindewort is common in German grammar and education. In broader linguistics, the same category is called conjunctions or connective elements; the subcategories are Koordinierende Konjunktionen and Unterordnende Konjunktionen, sometimes labeled Konnektoren or Verbindungswörter in various sources. The concept has parallels in other languages, where conjunctions or connectives fulfill similar roles.